Switch



March 18 1943,

Hu J. MURPHY 2,235,?72

I SWITCH Filed Nov. 17, 193% 2 Sheets-$heet l In enivn Howard 1. Mawpfi y.

y WZ Q March 18, 1941. H l MURPHY 2,235,772

I SWITCH Filed. Nov. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ho 2 1a? d Mar 213.

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Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH Application November 17, 1938, Serial No. 246,98

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in switches and relates particularly to push and pull operative switches of the type used on automobiles and the like for turning ofi and On auxiliary lights.

The object of this invention is the provision of an efficient switch mechanism, parts of which are simple and inexpensive and capable of being assembled together almost entirely by hand.

Other objects and uses of my invention will be apparent from inspection of the drawings and specification hereinbelow set forth.

Referring to the drawings, in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a switch embodying my construction secured to a supporting part with the switch shown in on position;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the installation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the installation shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view similar to that of Fig. 3 but with the switch shown in off position;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6--6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 88 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 99 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line Ill-40 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 11 is a section taken along the line ll-H of Fig. 1.

- Referrirm in detail to the construction of my improved switch as set out in the various figures, I have shown the switch, indicated gener ally by the numeral I (Fig. 3), secured to a supporting panel 2, which may be the dash of an automobile. The switch comprises a stationary member, preferably in the form of an insulator support 3, secured to' the supporting panel 2 by an attaching member 4 and carrying. in my preferred form, three leads A, B and C (Fig. 1). The lead C may run from the battery and the leads A and B to a fog light and tail light respectively of an automobile. A contact carrier, generally designated by the numeral 5 (Fig. 3), is mounted opposite the lower face 3 of the insulator 3 for reciprocable motion relative thereto and carries contacts for electrical engagement with cooperating terminals of the insulator 3 to turn the switch on and off by said reciprocable movement, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring in detail to the stationary member I,

the insulator 3 is in the form. of a rectangular plate made of suitable insulating material. 'Ilhe insulator 3 has an opening 5 at oneend intersecting an edge of the insulator (Figs. 1 and 11) and an elongated aperture relatively near the opening 5 and completely surrounded by material of the insulator. The openings 6 and l are adapted to receive attaching means carried by the contact carrier 5 for maintaining one end of the contact carrier in movable assembled relation with the stationary member I, as will be hereinafter described. Mounted on the upper surface of the insulator 3 are three wire terminals 8 secured to respective ends of the leads A, B and C. The wire terminals 8 are similar to those illustrated and described in connection with my United States co-pending application Serial No. 215,795, filed June 25, 1938, and have contact portions 9 (Figs. 5 and '7) extending through openings [0 in the insulator 3. The contact portions 5% are adapted for electrical engagement with cooperating contacts of the con tact carrier 5 when the switch is in on position. It will be noticed that electrical contact is made between the leads A, B and C and the respective terminals 8 through soldering the bare wires 14 of the leads to the Wire-receiving portion IE5 at the outermost end of the terminals 8, as at l6 (Fig. 7).

Fastener members I i, which are similar to those illustrated and described in my above-mentioned co -pending application, are detachably mounted on the insulator 3 and serve to maintain the terminals 8 in assembly with the insulator. At the same time the fastener members ll provide means in the form of spring tongues l2 exerting spring pressure upon a flat upper side l3 of the terminals 8 (Fig. 7) thereby holding the wire terminals under constant spring tension whereby the contact portions S of the terminals are raised against the action of the spring tongues during engagement with respective cooperating contact members of the carrier member 5.

Referring in detail to the attaching member 4, by which the stationary member I is secured to the support 2, I have shown one preferably made of one piece of sheet metal comprising a base portion having a flange portion I? secured to an opposite end of the insulator 3 from that having the openings ii and i by means such as the rivet 18 (Fig. 9) and an attaching portion such as an angularly bent portion i8 extending beyond the lower face 3 of the insulator 3. A hollow shank portion 20 (Fig. 9), which is preferably pressed from the portion i9, extends therefrom in substantially right-angular relation in an outward direction relative to the insulator 3. The shank portion 20 is open at both ends providin a bearing 2! for receiving and supporting an operating shaft 22 projecting from the contact carrier 5. The shank is preferably externally threaded, as at 23, for threaded engagement with the nut 2A, as most clearly shown in Fig. 9. Thus the stationary member I is secured to the support 2 through inserting the threaded shank of the attaching member through an aperture 25 of the support whereby the nut member 24 is engaged therewith. The bearing 2| of the shank 20 receives the operating shaft 22 of the carrier so as to support the carrier 5 at one end and maintain said end in proper fixed relation. to the insulator 3.

Referring in detail to the contact carrier 5, I have shown one comprising a metal member having a box-like retainer portion 28 intermediate the ends thereof. The retainer 25 comprises a substantially rectangular base 21 having upstanding walls 28 adjacent opposite longitudinal edges and an upstanding wall 2E3 adjacent the edge at one end. The retainer is preferably open at its end opposed to the wall 28 The base has an elongated opening 21 therein for a purpose to be described. A pair of insulating plates 29 and 3B are disposed within the retainer portion 26 with the walls 28 and 28 limiting lateral movement of the plates in three directions. It will be noticed that the upper plate 29 is formed of thin material and the V lower plate 30 is of relatively thicker material,

as most clearly shown in Figs. 6-9. Spaced contact members 3! and 32 (Fig. 5) are carried by the insulating plates 29 and 30 for cooperative engagement with the contact portions 9 of the terminals 8 when the switch is in on position. The contacts 3| and 32 are similar to those illustrated and described in connection with my copending U. S. application Serial No. 240,985, filed November 1'7, 1938, now Patent No. 2,215,247 granted September 17, 1940, in that they combine a contact-engaging portion with a cliplike portion for receiving a metal end of a fuse. The contact terminal 3| is preferably made of one piece of metal and comprises a fiat plate 33 supported by the insulating plate 30 and dis- 1 posed within an opening 34 of the insulating plate 29 for electrical engagement with the terminals 8 of the leads A and B when the switch is on. The plate 33 has substantially the same thickness as the insulating plate 29 whereby the upper surface of the plate 33 lies substantially flush with the upper surface of the insulating plate 29, as most clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. An opening 35 formed in the plate 33 intermediate its ends and intersecting an edge thereof divides the plate 33 into a pair of contact-engaging portions 35 and 31 joined together by a connecting strip 38 as most clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The insulating plate 29 has a portion 39 (Fig. 5) disposed within the opening 35 of the plate 33 and adapted to be engaged by the contact portion 9 of the lead A when the switch is in off position (Fig. 5). A pair of spaced resilient arms 38 l9 extend from the terminal-engaging portion 35 in substantially right-angular relation to the normal plane thereof through openings ll (Fig. 6) in the insulating plate 30 and the opening 27 of the base 21 of the retainer 26 to a position beyond the lower face 39* of the plate 39. Portions of the arms Ail-42 extending beyond the plate 30 are preferably bowed for gripping a metal end w of a fuse i2 to hold the fuse in place.

The contact member 32 is relatively smaller than the contact 3! and comprises a contactengaging portion 53 (Fig. 5) which rests on the insulating plate 30 with its outer surface flush with the outer surface of the insulating plate 29 for electrical engagement with the battery terminal C when the switch is on. A pair of spaced resilient arms 'M-M extend in rightangular relation to the portion 43 through the insulating plate 32 and the opening 27 of the base 2'! to a position beyond the lower face 30 of the plate 38 in the manner of the arms 4El4fl of the contact 3! Thus the pairs of arms 49-49 and d p-44 extend beneath the insulating plate 32 a predetermined distance for receiving the fuse 42 whereby the fuse is attached to the carrier 5. Thus the fuse 82 electrically connects the contact members 3| and 32. Furthermore, the relative construction of the pairs of arms 4Q 55 and ML-M is such that when the fuse is in assembly with the clips, the plate portion 33 and contact-engaging portion 33 are maintained in adjacent superposed relation to the insulating plate 30 in the manner shown in Fig. 6.

The operating shaft 22, in my preferred form, is integrally joined to one end of the retainer 26 and extends through the bearing 2| of the shank 2i: of the attaching member, as hereinbefore described. A knob (not shown) may be attached to the outermost end of the shank so as to provide means for gripping the shaft to actuate the contact carrier 5. An attaching means, generally designated as 45, integral with an opposite end of the retainer 26 from that from which the operating shaft 22 extends, is constructed for cooperation With the insulator 3 for maintaining the contact carrier in movable assembled relation therewith. The attaching means 45 has spaced leg portions i545 extending upwardly in substantially right-angular relation to the general plane of the base 27 of the retainer 26 adjacent an opposite end thereof from the operating shaft 22. Wing portions l! and 48 (Fig. 1) are provided at predetermined distances along the lengths of the upwardly-extending portions 4648 projecting from the upwardly-extending portions in substantially right-angular relation. The wing portions 4'! and 48 project away from each other and are adapted to engage the upper surface 3 of the insulator 3 adjacent the opening 6 therein, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1. The wings 41 and 43 cooperate with the shaft- 22 which is supported by the bearing 2! to maintain the carrier member and insulator in proper relation. A lug portion 49, formed integrally with the wing 58, projects angularly from the wing into the opening I of the insulator 3 and is adapted to abut an end I (Fig. 8) of the aperture 1 providing a stop for limiting reciprocable. movement of the contact carrier 5 in one direction. Abutting engagement of the end wall 28 of the retainer 26 with the angularly-bent portion 59 of the attaching member 4 limits reciprocable movement of the contact carrier in an opposite direction. It will be noticed that when the switch is in on position (Figs. 1, 2 and 11) the upwardly-extending portions 46--5 5 are disposed within the opening 6 of the insulator 3. Each of the Wings 41 and 48 may have a transverse depressed portion 59 positioned adjacent the edge of the insulator 3 when the switch is in off position for the purpose of preventing too easy movement of the contact carrier to on position. The contact portions 9 of the leads A, B and C normally engage the outer surface of the insulating plate 29 when the retainer member 26 is in a position furthest removed from the support 2 so that the switch is in off position, as shown in Fig. 5. As the actuating shaft 22 of the contact carrier is pulled toward the operator to on position, the contact portions 9 of the leads A, B" and C are electrically engaged with the respective contact members 3| and 32, thus closing the circuit. It is understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact arrangement of the terminals carried by the stationary member I and the contact carrier 5, as illustrated and described, as the number of contacts and arrangement of the same may be modified without departing from the scope of my invention.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope and spirit of my invention are best defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A switch of the class described comprising an insulator carrying contact means, a contact carrier mounted opposite a lower face of said insulator for reciprocable movement relative to said insulator, an operating shaft extending from one end of said carrier for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, an attaching member carried by said support having a supporting bearing receiving said operating means, and said carrier having means at its other end from said first-mentioned end in assembled movable attachment to said insulator.

2. A switch of the class described comprising an insulator carrying contact means, a contact carrier mounted opposite a lower face of said insulator for reciprocable movement relative to said insulator, an operating shaft extending from one end of said carrier for causing reciprocating movement of said carrier, an attaching member carried by said support having a supporting bearing receiving said operating means, said carrier having means at its other end from said firstmentioned end in assembled movable attachment to said insulator, and said insulator and said carrier having cooperating means limiting reciproeating movement of said carrier relative to said insulator.

3. A switch of the class described comprising a dielectric plate carrying contact terminals, a contact carrier mounted opposite a lower face of said dielectric plate for reciprocable movement relative to said plate, said carrier comprising a metal retainer carrying contacts in insulated relation thereto, an integral operating shaft extending from one end of said retainer for actuating said carrier, and attaching means at an opposite end of said retainer projecting above the normal plane of said contact carrier, said dielectric plate having a supporting bearing at one end receiving said operating shaft, and said attaching means of said retainer having portions in superposed relation to said dielectric plate to maintain said end of said retainer having said attaching means in attached relation thereto.

4. A switch of the class described comprising a dielectric plate carrying contact terminals, a contact carrier mounted opposite a lower face of said dielectric plate for reciprocable movement relative to said plate, said carrier comprising a metal retainer carrying contacts in insulated relation thereto, an integral operating shaft extending from one end of said retainer for actuating said carrier, and attaching means at an opposite end of said retainer projecting above the normal plane of said contact carrier, said dielectric plate having a supporting bearing at one end receiving said operating shaft, and said attaching means of said retainer having portions in superposed relation to said dielectric plate to maintain said end of said retainer having said attaching means in attached relation thereto, said attaching means and said dielectric plate having cooperating means limiting reciprocable movement of said contact carrier relative to said dielectric plate.

5. A switch comprising a stationary part carrying contact members, and a movable part carrying a pair of contact members, one of the contact members of said movable part having a pair of contact portions for electrical engagement with proper contact members of said stationary part, a connecting portion integrally joining said contact portions of narrower construction than said contact portions, a pair of spaced resilient arms extending in angular relation to one of said contact portions of said last-mentioned contact member of said movable part, and said other contact member of said movable part having a contact portion for electrical engagement with a contact member of said stationary part and a pair of spaced resilient arms extending in angular relation to said last-mentioned contact portion, said pairs of resilient arms being adapted to grip an electrical unit.

6. A switch of the class described comprising a dielectric plate carrying contact means, a onepiece attaching member carried by said plate, said attaching member having a base portion secured at one end to said plate and the other end thereof being free and extending beyond one side of said plate in substantially right-angular relation to the normal plane of said plate, a hollow threaded shank integrally joined to said base at one side of said plate, and a contact carrier mounted for reciprocable movement relative to said dielectric plate, said carrier having an operating shaft projecting through said hollow shank, said shank being threaded for receiving a nut member after passage through an aperture of a supporting part whereby said dielectric plate is secured to said supporting part.

7. A switch of the class described comprising a dielectric plate carrying contact means, a contact carrier mounted opposite a lower face of said plate for reciprocable movement relative to said plate, an operating shaft extending from said carrier for causing reciprocating movement thereof, a one-piece attaching member secured to said plate, said attaching member having a base comprising a flange portion and an angularly-bent portion, said angularly-bent portion extending in angular relation to said flange portion, said flange portion being disposed in superposed relation to said plate and attaching means extending through said flange portion and said plate to secure said attaching member to said plate, an integral hollow shank extending in angular relation to said angularly-bent portion, said shank receiving said operating shaft and providing a supporting bearing for the same, and said shank being threaded whereby a nut may be engaged therewith after passage of said shank through an opening of a supporting panel thereby to secure said insulating plate to said panel.

HOWARD J. MIURPHY. 

